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2004 Low Emission Vehicle Guidebook Published

November 8, 2004

Dissemination of low emission vehicles (hereinafter referred to as the "LEVs"), including electric vehicles and natural gas vehicles, is one of the major pillars of measures to address air pollution in urban area and climate change. In this regard, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation jointly developed the Low Emission Vehicle Guidebook 2004 which covers information on all LEVs available in Japan as a part of measures popularizing the LEVs. The guidebook is distributed to parties planning to introduce LEVs including central and local governments.

Total number of LEVs listed in this guidebook is 157, including 24 electric vehicles, 9 fuel-cell vehicles (of which some kinds are not on the market), 63 natural gas vehicles, 13 hybrid vehicles and 48 other kind of LEVs (including certified low particulate matter vehicles). Similar kinds of vehicles are categorized into a same type.

This guidebook includes variety of useful information for a consumer to purchase or to upkeep of an automobile. The information includes exhaust emission performances, prices, maintenance systems and other details provided by automobile manufacturers and importers.

Also, an outline of the legal systems relevant to LEVs, a list of types of high efficient/low emission vehicles by each manufacturer, current status of fuel providing facilities for LEVs, and information of financial support for purchasing LEVs are available in this guidebook. In addition, support measures including subsidies by local governments and dissemination efforts by each sector are listed on the 2004 version of the guidebook.